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French bank Natixis posts Q2 loss of 1.02 bln euros

PARIS - French bank Natixis has reported a second-quarter net loss of 1.02 billion euros ($1.50 billion), broadly in line with previous guidance, as it prepares a 3.7 billion euro rights issue to strengthen its finances.

Natixis' earnings were hit by around 1.5 billion euros of writedowns related to the global credit crisis, as previously announced by the company in July.

Natixis has been hit particularly hard by the market turmoil since much of its business was in securitisation -- an area affected by writedowns on complex debt instruments.

The bank has said it plans to raise 3.7 billion euros from a rights issue and is expected to announce details of this within the coming days.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday that Natixis was expected to set a discount of between 35 and 40 percent for the rights issue, while analysts in a Reuters poll forecast a price range of 3.35-5.50 euros for the rights issue.

Natixis holds a shareholder meeting on Friday to vote on the terms of its capital increase.

Since French mutual banks Caisse d'Epargne and Banque Populaire together own about 70 percent of Natixis, the vote on the rights issue will be a formality.

But although the two controlling shareholders have committed to the rights issue they still need the participation of other shareholders to avoid shrinking the public free float.

Augustin de Romanet, the head of French state bank Caisse des Depots (CDC), told France 24 television station that the CDC was examining the Natixis rights issue but had not yet decided whether or not to participate in it.

Natixis's shares closed down 4.9 percent at 5.69 euros on Wednesday. The share price has fallen around 60 percent since the start of 2008, making it France's worst performing bank stock.